Wala Island Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight onto the beach. The ship anchors in the channel separating Wala from its neighbour Rano, and tenders come in onto the sand itself. There is no quay, no terminal and no duty-free shop: which is exactly what people come for.
Off Malekula, Vanuatu's second largest island, in the north of the archipelago. Wala and Rano are two green specks detached from that bigger island, barely marked on the charts.
Just under an hour, sandals in hand, on a path that moves from the shade of banyans to the glare of white sand. It is the most natural walk of the call, and it literally takes you round the island.
The craft market near the beach, the demonstrations of daily life and the kastom dances make up the programme, with the island walk on top. Here the day isn't planned: it is simply lived at the village's pace.
The high point of the day: costumes of fibre and foliage, struck bamboo percussion, chanted song rising from a circle of dancers in a clearing. Malekula remains one of the strongholds of kastom, the body of customs, ranks and rituals that still structures village life.
The preparation of laplap, the national dish cooked in banana leaves, palm weaving and fishing techniques. These demonstrations let visitors into island daily life rather than into a show staged for them.
Wood carvings, basketry and shell necklaces, each stall run by a family. Money changes hands simply, without haggling, and both vatu and dollars are accepted. Bring small denominations: there is no card terminal on the island.
Bislama, English and French, a legacy of the Anglo-French condominium that once governed the archipelago. In practice you exchange smiles more than words, and that works perfectly well.
Very much so. Landing is straight onto the sand, distances are short and village children run along the beach with the visitors. Bring a hat, water and sun protection: there are no services at all.
May to October, Vanuatu's dry season: calmer sea for tenders coming onto the beach, more bearable heat and outside the cyclone period. From November to April, tropical depressions cause calls to be cancelled.
